Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure generally relates to containers for aircraft emergency equipment and to methods of changing aircraft emergency equipment, and more specifically to containers for aircraft emergency escape slides and methods of changing aircraft emergency escape slides.
Related Technology
Modern passenger aircraft require quick egress options in case of emergency. Because many modern passenger aircraft have entry doors that are ten feet or more above ground level, passengers need some sort of device to allow them to get to the ground safely. Inflatable emergency escape slides have been used for this purpose. The emergency escape slide is usually made from an inflatable flexible material. When not inflated, the emergency escape slide is folded up into a small volume and stored in or near the egress door. When needed, the emergency escape slide is filled with a gas so that it inflates to a semi-rigid slide structure that extends from the egress door to the ground. While this solution to speedy egress of a passenger aircraft has generally been very successful, the emergency escape slides require periodic checking, maintenance, and/or replacement to ensure that the emergency escape slides will operate correctly in the case of an emergency.
In large passenger aircraft (in particular in wide-body, long range aircraft), these emergency escape slides can weigh 100 to 150 lbs (45-68 kg) or more. Moreover, these large passenger aircraft can have eight or more emergency escape slides. In order to change or maintain these emergency escape slides, maintenance personnel must carry a folded slide into the aircraft through the egress door. After entering the aircraft, the folded slide must be carried down an aircraft aisle to the correct egress door. Once position by the correct egress door, maintenance personnel must remove the old slide and then lift and position the new slide in the correct location. Often during transport of the new slide to the correct egress location, the new egress slide can become hooked or torn on various aircraft parts, which would require a new slide to be obtained. Additionally, due to the weight of the slides, maintenance personnel are often injured during the transfer process by bending over to pick up the slide off of the ground.
Additionally transportation and storage of the slides when not installed in an aircraft can be a problem. Typically, the slides are stored in a wooden container that is liftable by a forklift. These wooden containers are very heavy and not very durable. Furthermore, lifting the slide out of the wooden container requires maintenance personnel to bend over, which subjects the maintenance personnel to the possibility of back or other injuries. These injuries result in a loss of workdays and a loss of efficiency, which can be a problem for the employer.